ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.

Taranaki Daily News, 22 December 1919, Page 2

ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.

INQUEST INTO CHILD'S DEATH. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Dec. 20. An inquest into the death of Constance Lawton, who was killed in Cuba Street on Thursday afternoon by being run over by the Defence Department's motor lorry, was held to-day. The father of deceased said the child had good hearing and eyesight, but suffered from an attack of infantile paralysis about seven years ago, and had since been nervous and a little shaky. Witness had left liis wife and children only a few minutes before the accident occurred. Joshua Turnbull, who was driving the Army Service Corps motor lorry, which ran over deceased, said that, apparently, the child had not seen the lorry, and the little distance deceased was from the lorry when she stepped off the pavement on to the street made it impossible to avoid the accident. He had done all possible under the circumstances, and expressed the opinion that the child might have cleared the vehicle had she not hesitated. The coroner returned a verdict of accidental death, completely exonerating the driver from all blame. A WOMAN DROWNED. Tnvercargill, Dec. 20. Mr*. Jessie M'Pherson, aged 48, residing at Mt. Aspiring, was accidentally drowned in the Matukituki River last evening. The body was recovered. There are no particulars.